Iridessa grabbed a rock and threw it at Xanadu. Then, putting her hands together, she sent an army of rocks at them with magic.

Xanadu’s friends ran away screaming.

A sister is a forever friend. Author Unknown

10 years old:

“Zaera! Guess what?” Sairi asked as she walked in elagantly.

“What?” Zaera asked.

“I’ve figured out how to transform!” Sairi said.

“Show me!”

Sairi’s blond hair became longer and fell around her legs. Her dress became short and silver, and she wor a moon headband.

“It’s beautiful!” Zaera cried.

“I know! I’m so happy!”

“Are you going to one of those fairy schools?”

“Of course not!” Sairi said, “I’m staying with you! Someone has to protect you from Xanadu.”

“Iridessa can,” Zaera said, but she was happy that her sister was staying.

“But what would I do without you?” Sairi asked.

The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become. Charles Dubois

11 years old:

Zaera sat listening to her mother talk about her future responsibility.

“As princess, it is your duty to be able to protect your people no matter what,” her mother went on.

“Yes, Mother. I know,” Zaera said. Sometimes she felt like a stranger around her mother. She wasn’t her mother’s daughter; she was the future heir.

“Would you die for your kingdom?”

“Yes, I would,” Zaera said.

“Would you eliminate all threats, no matter what the cost?”

“Of course,” Zaera said.

“What if it was Iridessa?”

Zaera thought, then said, “If it was a threat to Lunaria, I would do whatever had to be done.”

“What if it meant killing your sister?”

“I hope it never comes to that, but if it does, then I will,” Zaera said.

“What about another kingdom? What if there was a threat elsewhere?”

“Then I’d attempt to help, but not at the expense of my kingdom.”

“And what if these sacrifices were the only way to save your kingdom, but it required someone else?”

“I would sacrifice myself before Lunaria,” Zaera said.

“You do understand,” her mother said with a sad look in her eyes, “You are no child. You do not need to be.”

“Thank you,” Zaera said.

Zaera never got her childhood.

It is very easy to forgive others their mistakes; it takes more grit to forgive them for having witnessed your own. Jessamyn West

12 years old:

Zaera and Iridessa walked back to the palace. Zaera never stayed late after school. Her job was to go to school, come home, do her homework, and stay at the palace. She had a lot of freedom, but there was barely anywhere Zaera hadn’t been.

“Hello, Princess,” Xanadu smirked.

Zaera had officially had enough of Xanadu’s torture. It had been going on for years now. Normally she ran away and hid. But today she turned and looked Xanadu in the eyes.

“Shut. Up.” Zaera said.

“Oh-ho! She’s finally fighting back!” Xanadu smirked.

“Yes, I am.” Zaera narrowed her eyes. Without thinking she charged at Xanadu and punched her in the face. The two were rolling on the ground. Zaera punched Xanadu, but Xanadu fought back.

Iridessa ran up and grabbed Zaera, trying to get her away from Xanadu. But Zaera was unreachable. It was as though she was being taken over.

“Let go of me,” she hissed with venom on her voice.

“Zaera, listen to me!”

“GET OFF OF ME!” Zaera shrieked.

Instantly, a glow of silvery energy emerged from her and blasted Iridessa backwards. She ran at Xanadu, extended her arm, and shot a chain of magic that bound Xanadu.

Zaera’s eyes glowed as her inital magical experience began. She was going to kill Xanadu. Not her, but she had no control of her magic. So the first time she ever used magic, it controled her.